question for the general public

[bob miller]

I was asked by Larry in an earlier post to contact the local cities about promoting our hobby/sport. I just called the Chisago City Hall and asked who would be the coordinator for "Ki-sago Days". The receptionist said is was the park's dept administrator, and transferred me to her (Doris). I asked Doris if she had ever heard of or seen RC boating (No), so I asked if she was familiar with RC planes, cars, heli's (Yes).
So I gave her a brief overview of the range in sizes and speeds. Then I told her my neighbors had seen my boat and were also suprised/amazed there were such things because they'd never seen them before. So I told her I and some members from the nearest club would like to expose the people who attend "Ki-Sago Days" with some boat racing of various sizes/types at the lake behind the skateboarding area and "Would this be feasible"? She said she thought the idea would be "Wonderful" (her words ) and that each year they are "looking to bring in something new for attendees". She asked if the boaters would be insured (I explained IMPBA) and she asked that we come in at their next mtg (in Jan) to give the council what days we would want to be at the lake, the times, etc . She also said they are a small committee "stretched thin" - "Would we be able to set up things on our own" (Yes). Then I asked her what other area annual events might we be able to participate in and how would we contact those who coordinate those events (and she happily provided 5 more ). So now if I can get the a few D6ers to work with me and participate next summer (and I'm sure they will), we can expose perhaps 10,000 people who have never seen an RC boat before <_< .

Now I'm posting this to encourage other boaters - if I can do it, so can you. And IF 1 or 2 calls by me can set in motion one event (more if I pursue the others she suggested) that exposes thousands to RC Boating, what can our current membership really do? :blink: It not up to us to look to the club officers - it's up to us, the individual boaters to determine the viability of this sport. IF you want MORE parts, BETTER RTR choices, MORE lakes to run on, MORE clubs & people to run with, this is how it needs to be done !

I wouldnt be suprised that after next summer's event we will have some new boaters up here, and can eventually get the city to allocate & support a designated RC boating area on one of the local lakes. h34r:

BTW: I DO agree about the need for club support for retaining members, sharing knowledge etc.... I'm going to NEED club help next summer - look silly racing myself (but hey I'd finally get a TROPHY)! :lol:

 

[bob miller]

i think what you are doing is great...we have done similar events trying to promote our western new york club...how do you plan on controling noise?

 

[TCHedOff]

i think what you are doing is great...we have done similar events trying to promote our western new york club...how do you plan on controling noise?

I dont anticipate noise from being a problem. The reason I say this with confidence is that between the area where they skateboard and the lake, there is a parking lot on the left; there was a helipcopter there this year offering rides @$35 per person... these boats dont even come close... so dont expect a problem... small towns arent so fussy and this isnt in a highly residential area.

BTW I KNOW many of you have done/continue to do promotional events of various kinds and have done for years. Question is: If we stopped a random person (even in your area) and said ever seen or heard of RC Boats and they said "Yes", like they did with planes etc, then we're doing enough... but if not???? My goal was simply to offer suggestions on how best to achieve our goals and what can be done remarkably easily by individuals or groups for little to no $$ (and then Larry nudged me to try for myself - fair enough). Now I'm reporting the results for others as an encouragement. When I read statements about the declining # of clubs and places to race etc, it tells me that as a GROUP we ARENT doing enough (would you agree with that?)

 

[TERMINATOR]

Woods #22 Super Duper Q pipe (www,woods.com)Jimmy's super Sausage Q pipe #345 (www.jimmyspipes.com)

Peter Norths Super Shooter pipe #9 (www.spraymasterpipes.com)

Click and ship.. done

Grim

grim i know who peter north is , man you been too busy watching tv..lol :unsure:

terry

 

[Grimracer]

Funny.. I figured a few of you would get it..

Just trying to get the idea shoved in... dident mean shoot the topic all up in your faces.

OK.. im done now...........................

Grim

 

[Bruce Jacobs]

I have been asked to do a demo race in the city of Hobart on Sept 20th, they are having an annual event and myself, Kyle, Stu, Ron Z and Greg and maybe Willis are going to show off boats and put on a small 2 bouy course demo race to see if the town likes it. If anyone else wants to attend, let me know. They have already asked about a regular race being held there if the pond and surroundings will work. Sponsorship for trophy's is in the works. 2 months ago this town did'nt know what an R/C boat was, but contacted me to get info, I suggested the demo race. The problem we have is exposure, so if we all do a little to promote what we do, it can grow the sport. They have the Fire Dept using their boat to help me set bouy's and pick up the boats and we're even on the town flyer to show at 2:30. Just like that we could have a new venue to race at. You never know who the guy is at your pits asking questions, so be nice to them, they might be the mayor of Hobart. This date is also the Seville, Ohio race, so I will have to miss that, but these opps don't pop up very often.

 

[TOM MOORE]

Well I don't mine if I have to pay for the AMA, it was just something I was thinking about. as for the IMPBA becoming part of the AMA I personal think it would be great! Like some people have said they didn't even know about R/C boating and I think this would be great to expand our hobby.
To get back on track.

The things that I find most difficult is trying to find parts or remember who makes what. I don't know if it would be the right thing to do, But what about this site listing all the suppliers. I know that most of them have web sites. for instance I often forget about Don's Jackrabbit racing.

Just a thought to help some of the new people like myself find things much easer.

Just pray to god that CMB does not pull a picco then were all out of business. Other than Nova rossi they have us by the b&&ls. Thanks god for the boat builders in the garages or there wouldnt be any rc boat racing or hobby.

 

[LarryConrad]

Funny.. I figured a few of you would get it..
Just trying to get the idea shoved in... dident mean shoot the topic all up in your faces.

OK.. im done now...........................

Grim

Thats some funny sh*t :lol:

 

[mprfrk440]

Funny.. I figured a few of you would get it..
Just trying to get the idea shoved in... dident mean shoot the topic all up in your faces.

OK.. im done now...........................

Grim

Man Mike,

I really gotta get you the tunnel dvd, don't you know that other stuff will make you go blind! <_< <_< <_< :lol: :lol:

anyway, sending your dvd out tom. with Russ's. All pre-orders will be shipped by Saturday, seems like Mike needs it worse.

Doug

 

[TCHedOff]

Funny.. I figured a few of you would get it..
Just trying to get the idea shoved in... dident mean shoot the topic all up in your faces.

OK.. im done now...........................

Grim

I was dumb enough to google this (just like I HAD to stand with the spoon in the faucet to try Bernoulli's principle) - warning to other boaters.... try the spoon thing - dont bother w/Peter North - you're a sick puppy GRIM!

Bruce Jacobs: Way to go man ... if that happened times 2000-5000 members a year the changes would be TREMENDOUS for ALL of us.

 

[mikehoffman]

Talk to Roger Hooks from NAMBA District 9, he has been doing great things out there to promote boating, has the Grand Prix Classic and gets the mayors from the local cities and gets them involved, check with him, he has some really good promoting ideas.

Mike

 

[TCHedOff]

Talk to Roger Hooks from NAMBA District 9, he has been doing great things out there to promote boating, has the Grand Prix Classic and gets the mayors from the local cities and gets them involved, check with him, he has some really good promoting ideas.

Mike

Thanks for the suggestion - just did PM'd SR. Always good to learn - nobody knows it all....!

BTW: 2500+ views :blink: THAT IS EXPOSURE TOO (and necessary). This thread SHOULD be a sticky.

 

[lohring]

Model boat racing is thriving in the Pacific Northwest. You wouldn't know this if you went to the last district race held at my club's pond, or the 1/8 scale races that once drew 40 boats. Of the 16 nitro classes the district ran last year, only 7 were run at the race last weekend. Out of 50 active members, 16 1/8 scale boats ran at the last RC Unlimiteds race. The picture is similar in Unlimiteds Northwest with 10 boats out of 25 running the last race.

So how can I say model boat racing is thriving? One electric club runs a 12 race schedule and often sees over 30 boats at a race. The 1/10 scale electric clubs each run at least a 10 race schedule and ERCU had 28 boats at its last race. ERCU is NAMBA's largest club with over 50 members. The newly formed Pacific Northwest Thunderboat Association will start running races for gas scale classes that will combine available, reliable engines and fuel with scale hulls. Our club is developing a new, privately owned pond to replace the pond we raced on for 10 years. The hobby suppliers are already producing some excellent RTR boats with electric and nitro engines, and more are on the way. I've seen some prototypes and they are very promising. There may even be some great RTR gas boats if reliable, low cost engines can be developed to go with well designed hulls.

The model boating all of you think has died is the remains of a past era once dominated by companies like K&B, Dumas, and Prather. Look around and see the new century.

Lohring Miller

 

[Bill-SOCAL]

Not to get off track here, But since it was brought up. If the IMPBA joins with the AMA are we paying dues to both? if it's only going to go to the AMA then what about the life members?

All members of any AMA Special Interest Group (SIG) are required to be members of the AMA. 100% of that fee, currently $58 per year, goes to the AMA. Any dues charged by the SIG goes to the SIG. Some SIGS have dues, others do not. So if you are an IMPBA Life Member it would not be effected in any way by IMPBA becoming an AMA SIG.

 

[toyotatruckin]

Yep things are changing, our club in the last couple years has gone from 1 or 2 gassers to the biggest chunk gas, electrics are also growing here-nitro is not dead but there is less and less of it around- even the RTRs that were very popular here are getting fewer as the people have out grown them or just moved on - personally I dont think its so much a lack of parts available for the nitros as we have lack of parts local for all boats- top two things i hear local are----cost of running, and ease of tuning-

 

[dwilfong]

Yep things are changing, our club in the last couple years has gone from 1 or 2 gassers to the biggest chunk gas, electrics are also growing here-nitro is not dead but there is less and less of it around- even the RTRs that were very popular here are getting fewer as the people have out grown them or just moved on - personally I dont think its so much a lack of parts available for the nitros as we have lack of parts local for all boats- top two things i hear local are----cost of running, and ease of tuning-

I am new to boating and went to find a place to run the boat I was going to build. I found a local club went to the pond to check it out met some of the members. thy were setting up a new pond very nice people. as I was talking to them about running nitro found out nobody runs nitro any more in their club only those big time district people do that.

 

[John Knight]

Yep things are changing, our club in the last couple years has gone from 1 or 2 gassers to the biggest chunk gas, electrics are also growing here-nitro is not dead but there is less and less of it around- even the RTRs that were very popular here are getting fewer as the people have out grown them or just moved on - personally I dont think its so much a lack of parts available for the nitros as we have lack of parts local for all boats- top two things i hear local are----cost of running, and ease of tuning-

I am new to boating and went to find a place to run the boat I was going to build. I found a local club went to the pond to check it out met some of the members. thy were setting up a new pond very nice people. as I was talking to them about running nitro found out nobody runs nitro any more in their club only those big time district people do that.

There are racers in the Orlando area that do run nitro. The Atwell's (Gator340 here) are some and there are others. Don't despair but continue on with your interest.